Method and apparatus for upholstering furniture



Feb. 24, l93l.

I. C. DECKER IETHOD AND APPARATUS FOR UPHOLSTERING FURNITURE Filed Feb. 17. 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 24, 1931. I. c. DECKER 1,793,912

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR UPHOLSTERING FURNITURE Filed Feb. 17, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 C) 13 9' -L- 4 Q F l gwuento'a Feb. 24, 1-931. c. DECKER 1,793,912

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR UIHOLSTERING FURNITURE Filed Feb. 17, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Kin M Feb. 24, 1931. 1, DECKER 1,793,912

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR UPHOLSTERING FURNITURE Filed Feb. 17, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 P tented Feb.24, 1931 i i i f 1 7 3 912 NlTED STATES "PATENT OFFICE lISAAG C. DECKER, OI MONTOMERY, PllhTNSYLVANIA METHOD AND APBARATUS FOR UPHOLSTERING FURNITURE Application filed February 17, 1928. Serial No. 255,133.

This invention pertains to an improved adapted to form the two arms of a chair, the method of and apparatus for upholstering overlying member for exerting downward furniture. a pressure upon the chair frame being omitted,

The i'nventionhas for its main object the Figure 2 a similar view showing the coverprovision of means whereby furniture of the ing or finish fabric in place and at the right so-called over-stuffed type may be expedithe filling or stuffing overlying the same, tiously produced while at the same time ef- Figure 3 an end elevation with a chair footing a body form and a finish superior to frame in an inverted position ready to be 7 that which obtains where hand work alone is forced downwardly, the frame and portions 1i employed. a p of the mechanism being shown in section,

In the production of over-stuffed furni- Figure at a like view with the chair frame ture thereis commonly employed, betweenthe forced downwardly, the filling compressed frame of the article and the outer finish and the finished fabric tensioned. Said view fabric, layers of various stufiing materials, or at the left shows the fabric brought to its 15 several layers or thicknesses of the same mafinal position and at the right it is shown in terial, over which the finish fabric is closely section, drawn to partially compact the same and to Figure 5 is a perspective view of a press give to the article its desired outline and 0011- of the type above illustrated combined with a tour. "The placement of the stuffing or filling back contouring and forming element,

20 upon the frame work and the placement of Figure 6 a similar view as seen from the opthe finish fabric over such filling, the drawing posite side, the parts in both of the figures of the same to place over the filling and the being shown in their final pressing position, securement of the fabric to the frame requires Figure 7 a longitudinal vertical. sectional considerable skill and training in order to vicwshowing the back forming elementand 5 produce that smooth and even finish which is the movable arm pressing member in their reessential to a high grade piece of furniture. tracted position and v The manual operation is of necessity time Figure 8 a similar view with suchparts consuming and subject to variation in the removed to their final forming or pressing posisults produced; hence pieces of the same suite lion.

will vary in contour and outline or, in other Referring first to the construction shown words, will. not fully match up throughout. in Figures 1 to t inclusive, 1 denotes a suit Under my method and with the apparatus able stand or table on the top 2 whereof are hereinafter set forth any number of like mounted. two trough-shaped elements each units, say for instance over-stuffed arm having associated therewith a presser plate 35 chairs, may be quickly upholstered and to all adapted to compressthe inner vertical porintents and purposes will be substantial tion of the filling. Inasmuch as these parts duplicates. are duplicated in the structure illustrated While the invention is shown and hereinone side or set only will be described and after described in connection with a chair it is like parts of the opposite set will be similarly to be understood that the method lends itself numbered with the exponent a added thereto the production of other articles of furnito. It willbe understood of course that where ture as well as elements thereof. but a single element such as a single arm or In the annexed drawings Ihave illustrated back is to be formed only a single unit or the invention in connection with two forms of mechanism will be employed.

mechanisms, one for the production of the Secured upon the top 2 isa base or support arms of a chair, and the other for the produc- 3 having a longitudinally extending trough tion of the arms and likewise the over-stuffed or concave mold 4 secured thereto. Said back. trough is preferably formed from sheet metal In said drawings, and is secured fixedly in place except at its Figure 1 is a perspective view of the press inner edge where, as indicated at 5, it is free and extends'upwardly abovethe base and in overlapping relation to the lower edge of the side compression member 6. As will be seen the mold is open at each end and the two molds 4 and e r-are set in slightly converging relation toconform to the angularity desired to be givento the finished chair arms from the back to the front. e

Hingedly connected to the inner port-ion of base 3 and extending lengthwise thereof is the presser plate or member 6an'd having that face whichis next to the mold or trou h l I i u u c V ,I 1 l g ven that contour which it 1s desiredto 1mpart to theinner side of the chair arm. In

the instant case the presser plate is provided with a wedge-shaped block or'filler piece 7 which when the parts are brought into pressmg relation Wlll effect the desired contour of the finish fabric by compression of the underlying filling. I

- The base 3 willbe provided with a series of pins 8 along its upper face outward of the trough l and likewise with pins 9 at each end below the trough. Pins 10 will also be provided in the. ends of the presser plates 6.

Presser plate 6, where both arms are to I be formed at the same time, is interconnected with the'presser plate 6 -through-a pair of in .terconnected arms or levers 11 and 12, said levers being hingedat their outer ends to the respective plates 6 and 6 and to each other at" their inner ends. With the parts in the position shown in Figure 1, in which the presser plates 6 and 6*.are retracted, the levers 1 11 and 12, which in effect form a toggle, abut 6 while the stretcher cloth 15, which is attached to the inner end of the cover 1l,talres the position shown in Figure 2-- In empaling the cloth or covering 14 the operator will take care that it does not contact the trough but stands away therefrom as indicatedin Figure 3. He will then place the filling over the cloth as indicatedat the right in Figure 2'. This filling may be of any approved form but preferably there isfirst imposed upon the cloth a layer of, cotton batting 16 and immediately over the trough and upwardly adjacent the presser' plate 6 a second cheaper filling denoted by 17. -.This is, of course, done upon both sides-where two arms are to be sii'nultaneously forme'd'upon the chair frame. The chair frame is shown in Figures 3 and 4 and is of the usual form and embodies, among others, the upper arm elements18, and the intermediate and side braces 19 and 20,'respectively. Attached to the upper elements 18 and 18 are springs 21 but said springs need not be present and in fact will not be present where certain furniture elements are being produced under the present method,

lVhen a chair frame is placed upon the apparatus the parts come to the position shown -Figure 3, the fabric 1% being slightly stretched by the weight of theimposed chair frame. I p r A plunger or platen 22 is then moveddownwardly against the chair frame and pressure'isapplied through any suitable means (not shown). Prior to this, however, the operator will preferably slightly inturn the edges of the cotton batting 16, see Figure 8,

so that when the platen 22 isfully lowered the edges of the batting will roll inwardly as the frame moves downwardly. At the same time the finish covering 14 w ll be stretched and drawntaut over the filling and the presser begin to move to pressing position as the chair frame is moved downwardly but they stand away suiliciently from-the chairframe during such period as to prevent a dragging effect being exerted upon thefilling.

With the pressure still exerted and the covering clamped in the troughs or forms the operator draws the stretcher cloth out-- wardly over the intermediate brace 19 and tacks it to the outer face of brace ZOand 9O as the case may be. He then drawst-he edges of the :linish cloth 1% from the pins and tacks the same to the various frame elements, 1' these steps may be reversed. aft-er which front finish panels as 23 shown in part at the left of Figure 4, may be positioned to cover the edges at this poi t. ()utside finish fabric (not shown) will also be positioned and tacked in place but as these finish steps are wellknown and have no direct bearing upon this invention full exposition thereof is not deemed essential.

The platen 22 is then raised, the links 11 and 12 broken from their straightened position to retract thepresser plates 6 and Y6 after which the chair islifted off of the machine.

Not only does the machine form and contour the arms but it has been found in actual practice that by havingthe chair ailin-v K the plate 1s provided wlth a trough-shaped verted position no difiicnlty is experienced in maintaining the filling or stunmg in place and it likewiseenables the operator to more ez-rpeditiouslyhandle the stretcher strips and tacl-iat 1e same in place.

linl igures 5 7 inclusive thesaine general In this showing tie trough elements are shown as having a slightly tili'ibl'fiilt contour and the filler strips Tare omi ted; the parts are tl'ierefore numbered as in the above (5 scription. v 2

As will be seen upon reference to Figures 7 and 8 the frame of the machine isprovided with a cross bar E l formed with groove in its upper face. to receive the rounded lower end of a baclr contouring and compression member designated generally 25 This arrangement allows thecompresslon member to he rocked and for the purpose of effecting such movement a toggle compria ing links 26 and 27 is interposed between a fixed portion of the machine and a bracket attached to said member 25. A hand lever 29 connected to the toggle by a rod 30 is pro vided-for actuating the toggle and con sequence rocking the compressor plate.

On its outer face ad acent its lower end member or element 31 curved or contoured to conform with the top of the back of the chair which is to be upholstered. A series of pins 32 extend outwardlyfrom the plate below thetrough to which the cover goods for the forward face of the back is attachechthe goods being carried over the trough, upwardly along the plate and over the upper end thereof. Such goods may have stretcher strips attachedto its sides as is usual.

As will be best seen upon reference to Figure 5 the upper part of the plate 25 is materially narrower than the lower portion which carries the back top conforming trough 31 or is of a width somewhat less than the distance between the arm compression plates 6 and 6.

Extending outwardly from each of the side edges of plate 25, at the upper narrow portion thereof and at right angles to the face of theplatefls a blade or wing denoted respectively by 33 and 33 Said blades are preferably formed from rigid sheet metal plate and the lower edges thereof are rounded as shown in Figures 7 and 8.

Assuming that the form of press just set forth is to be employed the operator will position the covering elements and place the stuffing thereon, the stalling for the back extending up from trough 31 and resting on the fabric overlying the back compression plate. With the partslin the position shown in F igure a chair frame. having the back springs secured to the backframe will be placed'in an inverted position, as before, on

the press andforced downwardly. The arms will of course be contoured as above set forth and in addition theupper curved and rounded edge of the back will be likewise contoured by the trough 31. Lever 29 is then depressed straightening the toggle and thereby'rocking the back compression plate forcing the covering goods and filling firmly and smoothly against the back sprii'lgs. At the same time wings 33and 33 will carry the stretcher strips attached to the back covering l etween the usual upholstering strips of the chair frame and to the rear of the frame where they may be readily tacked. So too, they will: carry the stretcher strips at the ends a of the arm coverings or the ends of said coverings through in. a like manner. This obviates the necessity of theuse ofthe usual stufling stick commonly employed, along with its attendant disadvantages. Again, the

wings separate the filling between the arms and the back when the operator is positioningthe same. y

The back contouring element in the structure, as above described, is designed primarily for forming backs, the upper portion of which are intended to be completed by an imposed wooden finishing element. It may be used, however, for forming strictly overstuffed backs as well.

As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art the machine in both of its described forms makes for better and more expeditious work than can possibly be done under old hand methods now commonly in use.

arms and backs and the broader claims are to be so construed.

What is claimed is:

1. That method of contouring and covering over-stuffed furniture elements which consists in securing the covering adjacent its edges over a form and in spaced relation thereto; placing stuffing on said covering; forcing the furniture element against the stuh'ing and thereby compressing the stufling at theinitial zone of contact and thereby tensionin the covering and carrying itinto contact with the form; causing the tension of the cover to produce a compressive action between the stulfing and another face of the furniture element other than that which first contacts the stuffing; securing the covering toth'e furniture element while the covering is held; and finally removing the covered furniture element from the form.

2. In an apparatus for producing over-j lot! lie

stuffed furniture, the combination of a form contoured to the desired shape of the upper portion of the arm of a chair to becovered;

a presser plate hinged adjacent one side of 'the'form. means for securing a covering fabric along the outer edge of the form, the ends thereof and the ends of the presser plate; and

means for forcing a chair arm downwardlyinto contact with V the fabric overlying the I for-m.

.- of a form trough-llke in shape and having a Y Lin a machine for producing, overstufied furnlture elements, the comblnation contoursuch as is desired to be imparted to the upper portion of the finished furniture element; a 'presser plate hinged at its lower edge adjacent one side of the form; means for securing the desired covering fabric along the outer edge of the form, the ends thereof and the ends of the presser plate; and means forholding the presser plate in an'inclined position away from the form, said means permitting the presser plate to move inwardly whe.n thefurniture element is forced downwardly into contact with the 'covering'or with the filling which may beimposed thereon.

'5. In a machine for producing over-stuffed furniture elements, the combinationof a pair 7 of forms standing in spaced relation to each other, said forms belng trough-like in shape and having a contour such as is desired to be 7 imparted to the upper portion of the finished furniture element; a presser plate hinged at its lower edge adjacent each of the forms and adapted to be swung inwardly at their upper edges toward each other; and means connectmg said plates, said means permitting the presser plates to move inwardly toward their respective forms when the furniture element is forced downwardly into contact with the covering overlying the form or with the filling which may be imposed upon said covering. j

, 6,. In a machine for producing over-stuffed furniture elements, the combination ofa pair of forms standing in spaced relation, said forms being trough-like in shape and having a contour such as is desired to be imparted to the upper portions of the finished furniture elements; a presser plate hinged adjacent the inner edge of each of said forms; means for securing the desired covering fabric along theouter edge of each form, the ends thereof and the ends of the presser plates; a pair of links pivotally connected to each other at their adjacent ends and likewise connected at theirouter ends to the respective presser plates; and a stop element coacting with the -inner ends of links when the same are moved tion away from their respective forms,

7. In a machine for producing an overstulfed furniture element, the combination of a support; a trough-like element mounted V fabric along the outer edge of the trough,

theends thereof and the ends of the presser plate. 7 8. In a machine for producing over-stuffed chairs, the combination ofv a pair of forms adapted to produce the desired contour to the upper portions of the arms of a chair, said forms standing in spaced relation to each other; a hinged presser plate associatedwith theinner portion of each of said forms and extending upwardly therefrom; aback contouring member mounted for swinging movement,'said member standing to the rear of said, arm contouring forms; and means for rocking said back contouring member. a

9. In a machine for producing over-stuffed chairs, the combination of a pair of forms adapted to produce the desired contourto the upper portions of the arms'of a chair, said forms standing inspaced relation to each other; a hinged presser plate associated with the inner portion of each ofsaid forms and extending upwardly therefrom; a back contouring member mounted for swinging movement, said member standing to the rear of said arm contouring forms; means for rocking said back contouring member; and a pair of wings extending outwardly at substantially right angles to the outer face of said back contouring member.

10. In a machine for producing overstufied chairs, the combination of a pair of forms adapted to produce the desired contour to the upper portions of the arms of a said back contouring member being provided at its lower portion with an arcuate shaped member; a pair of wings extending outwardly at right angles to the rear face of said back contouring member and adjacent the upper end thereof; and means for rocking said back contouring member.

11. In a machine for upholstering chairs,

the combination of a suitable support; a

back contouring member mounted for swinglng movement thereon, sa d member at its outer lower portion be ng provided with a tr g -sh p d PQ fiQ cu ed ndwnwu e to conform with the top of the back of the chair which is tobe upholstered; a pair of Wings extending outwardly to the rear of said back contouring member at the upper portion I thereof; and means for rocking said back.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ISAAC C. DECKER. 

